Here’s why the Chiefs used safety Justin Reid for kickoff duty against the Chargers
Matthew Wright had just gotten the Chiefs on the scoreboard with a 47-yard field goal to conclude the first drive against the Los Angeles Chargers. Surely, he’d be back on the field moments later to tee up the kickoff.
But no. Out came Justin Reid. The Chiefs safety banged the ball into the end zone for a touchback. Wright continued his place-kicking duties, and his four field goal included the walk-off 31-yarder in a 19-17 victory.
Kickoff duty went to Reid, and only one of them didn’t reach the end zone. The Chargers attempted four returns and three of them didn’t get past the 25. That’s what the Chiefs wanted.
“The length of his kicks, the ability to kick it into the end zone,” Andy Reid said. “He has a strong leg.”
Justin Reid had kicked for the Chiefs previously. In the 2022 opener at Arizona, regular kicker Harrison Butker was injured, and Reid handled the kickoffs, putting five of seven in the end zone for touchbacks. He also made one of two extra points.
This season, Butker is dealing with a knee injury. Spencer Shrader filled in for the first two games and booted a walk-off field goal at the Carolina Panthers in Week 12. But he suffered a hamstring injury in a workout the next day.
Wright took over and has eight field goal in two games, and he kicked off in the Chiefs’ 19-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13. But one of those kicks landed at the 6 and was returned 68 yards by Ameer Abdullah to set up a Raiders touchdown.
Justin Reid told special teams coordinator Dave Toub he was ready. Then again, he always says that.
“It’s me (bugging) Coach Toub for weeks and weeks,” said Justin Reid, who said his chances of kicking earlier this season were impacted by a lingering quad injury.
“I took a couple of practice kicks during the week that looked good, and we wanted to have a cover guy when we do that because (Chargers’ Derius Davis) was taking it out of the end zone,” Justin Reid said. “It’s beneficial to have a tackler on the field.”
Reid was the tackler on Davis’ last kickoff return, early in the fourth quarter. He also played all 60 snaps on defense.
Kickoffs with Reid and place-kicking with Wright weren’t the only special teams spots where the Chiefs dipped into the depth chart. Making his NFL debut was return specialist Nikko Remigio. He was elevated from the practice squad when Mecole Hardman came up with a knee injury two days before the game and was placed on injured reserve.
Remigio played nine special teams snaps, returning three punts for an 11.3-yard average and two kickoffs for a 26-yard average.